New Beginnings
by Darla's-Fallen-Angel
Summary: An AU; Angel, Darla, Dru and Spike are siblings. What happens when their dad, Giles, falls in love with Joyce Summers? It's up to the kids to stop the wedding or have their enemies, Buffy and Faith as step-siblings forever. Chapter 4 is up! Please r & r!
1. Default Chapter

A/N: I've never written anything like this before, but this idea has been floating around in my head for a few days and I just had to write it down. Hope you like it! This in Darla's POV.

**New Beginnings**

**Chapter 1**

"I don't like it here," Drusilla's English accent was punctuated by a perfect sounding child-like pout. 

"Nobody does." I replied with a sigh of my own as I looked out our car window at the quickly moving scenery beyond our car.

"I do," Harmony chirped next to me, bouncing in her seat and looking out the window over my head. 

I glowered at my cousin and pinched her on the leg, grinning when she gave a little yelp of surprise.

"Ow, Darlllaaaaa," she whined, drawing the word out as she rubbed the red spot on her leg and tired to tug her skirt down over it. "Uncle Giles, Darla pinched me." 

Dad came to a stoplight and turned around in his seat, giving me a stern look. "Darla Aurelius," he said in a warning tone, "We're almost to Sunnydale, can't you kids just keep quiet?"

"I want to go back to England." I replied, earning another stern look and then shrugged and glanced at Harmony, "She deserved it."

Angel turned around in the passenger seat and smirked at me, giving me the brotherly, "You kids be good back there." I rolled my eyes, 'you kids' who does he think he is? He's a kid too! Just because he's fifteen, he thinks he's so great. He even gets to sit up in the passenger seat next to dad while I have to sit in the back, squished between Harmony, Dru and Spike. 

"Are we there yet?" Spike asked unbuckling his car seat for the millionth time and trying to look out the window. 

"Spike, sit down." I replied grabbing my four year old brother and buckling him back in, I don't know how he keeps getting out, those car seat are supposed to be kid proof. But, he's smart for his age, we all are, well, except Harmony, but she doesn't count, she's only my cousin.

"The stars are dancing," Dru said in a dreamy voice, her cheek pressed against the cool glass of the car window as she clutched her ratty old doll, Ms. Edith, in her hands.

Harmony gave her a blank look, well; maybe it's just a regular one since most of her facial expression seems sorta blank. "What?" she asked, "There aren't any stars, its daytime. Duh."

I rolled my eyes again; obviously she doesn't speak fluent Drusilla. Well, none of us really do, Dru's in a world of her own, but the rest of us have just learned to ignore her when she starts saying weird things.

Drusilla looked away from the window and turned her large brown eyes on Harmony, calmly arguing, "Yes there are, their singing to me."

I suppress a giggle as Harmony actually turns her head and looks out the window again just to make sure, before replying, "You're weird."

"She is not," I argue; no one makes fun of my sister. 

"Is too"

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Are we there yet, yet?" Spike whines, once again wriggling out of his car seat and climbing to the fort of the car where Angel grabs him as he starts to whine louder and kick, only seconds away from a temper tantrum.

Watching them, both Harmony and I are silent for a moment before she turns to me and resumes the argument, "Is too, infinity!"

I sigh, it's time to pull out the big guns, "Is not; double infinity no take-backs." She looks confused at this so I just shrug and pinch her again.

"Ow! Uncle Gileeeessss, she's doing it again!"

"Darla Elizabeth Aurelius, stop pinching your cousin this instant!"

This is going to be a long car ride. 

TBC…please review and tell me how I'm doing. Oh and if you like Drusilla, go read 'Dirty Sunshine'.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Someone asked how old the kids are, so here are the ages:

Angel: 15

Harmony: 11

Darla: 10

Dru: 7

Spike: 4

New Beginnings Chapter 2 

"This house is a dump," I muttered under my breath as we obediently trailed dad and the realtor showing us yet another house. We'd only been in Sunnydale two days and already I swear, we've seen not only every house for sale here, but every house in all of California, and dad just insists on bringing us along with him, I guess he thinks that including us in mind numbingly boring activities will keep us out of trouble. Well, it hasn't worked so far. 

It's early in the morning and I suppress a yawn as I walk through the small two story house watching as our real estate agent practically skips down the halls. "And here is a splendid kitchen! It's just so quaint! And perfect for dinner parties!" Angel snickers at the thought of Dad having a dinner party until a stern glance shushes him. 

As the real-estate agent continues talking about how great the kitchen was dad nods, taking his glasses off, wipes them on his shirt and nods again. I stare at the small kitchen with tacky lime green counters and water spotted hardwood floors and wonder if I'm seeing the same kitchen they are. 

"This is a dump," I reiterated wondering why we couldn't get a nice house like we had in London. It was three stories and we'd been in the same house ever since I was born, I don't like that everything's changing now.first the divorce and now the move. 

The real-estate agent, her name was Christie something, glared at me a second before turning back to dad and continuing on about how great the kitchen was, using more words like 'superb' and 'amazing.' I wandered off to see where Dru, Harmony and Spike had gone. 

I found them in the upstairs bedroom, Spike was jumping on the bed as Dru looked out the window and whispered something to Miss Edith. I didn't know where Harmony was, but I really didn't care much either. 

"Spike, take your shoes off before you jump on the bed," I admonished, grabbing him and setting him on the floor as I sat down on the bed and leaned again the wall, wondering how long this could possibly take. 

Spike stuck his tongue out at me and tried to climb back up on the bed. I grinned and shoved him off again. Teasing my little brother was one way to pass the time, and hey, Angel used to do it to me all the time until he decided he was to cool to have anything to do with us at all. After about my forth or fifth time shoving Spike off the bed he gave a little growl of frustration and balled his tiny hands into fists, backing up and taking a running leap for the bed. He climbed on and as I raised my arm to gently shove him off again, he grabbed my hand and bit me. 

"Ow, brat!" I snapped jumping up shaking my hand, and glaring at him. 

He grinned at me and replied, "That's what you get, bloody wanking bint!" jumping in the bed once again.

Forgetting the dull throb of pain in my hand I looked at Spike curiously and asked, "William, where did you learn those words?"

"Nooo," he whined, "My name is Spike, not Willium, he said with a slight lisp. I smirked; he never could say his real name properly. "And I learned it from dad." He replied, popping his thumb in his mouth and making a little chat out of it, "Bloody, wanker bint, sodding bloody wanker bint."

I ignored him and noticed Drusilla, still sitting quietly by the window. She hadn't moved or said a word the entire time. 

"Dru, what are you doing?" I asked, walking over to her. 

"Watching," Drusilla replied, keeping her eyes firmly on the window. 

I looked out too and saw nothing but the other houses; there weren't even any people outside or cars driving by. "Watching what, Dru?"

"England," she replied with a nod as she pointed her small finger to the window as if the country was just over the tops of the houses across the street. "If I squint real hard, I can see England. It's raining there." Dru looked down at Miss Edith and then held her up to the glass and looked at me, "Miss Edith sees it too." She informed me. 

I shrugged, if Drusilla wanted to see England, let her see England. I was about to reply when I heard Angel's shuffled footsteps walk into he room. I turned around to look at him, his hands were stuck in his pockets and he had his head down. I wondered if all teenage boys looked this broody. 

"Finally come to hang out with us?" I asked sharply, crossing my arms. 

He gave a non-committal nod and muttered, "I got bored." He ignored Spike and I completely and glanced at Dru, asking her the same question I had only minutes ago. "Drusilla, what are you doing?"

Dru looked up, but I answered for her, "She's watching England." I said as if it were the most logical thing in the world, my tone daring him to argue with me. 

"She can't see England," Harmony argued, walking into the room, chewing her gum noisily, "England's, like, in a whole different country."

"England _is_ a country-" Angel started to explain, but I cut him off, getting an idea as I watched Harmony. 

"Lets play hide-and-seek!" I said with a grin in Harmony's direction and a wink in Angel's, this was one time I could actually use him. 

Harmony made a face at me, "Hide-and-seek's for little kids." She replied. 

"Fine, the rest of us'll just play then." 

"No, I wanna play too," she quickly decided, never wanting to be left out of something. 

"Okay," I said with a smile, "I'll count first and everyone else go hide." I closed my eyes and started to count, cracking one eyes open and watching Harmony jog from the room. Spike climbed off the bed and ran out too, but Dru and Angel fortunately had the good sense to know I was up to something and stayed put. After a moment a stopped counting and opened my eyes turning to Drusilla and asked, "Where's she go?"

Dru was silent for a moment before answering, "linen closet; are going to cheat and find her first?"

"Heh, she wishes." I said, looking around the room, "Angel, grab a chair or something to jamb under the door knob. Harm's not getting out any time soon and maybe Dad'll be so preoccupied with the house stuff, he'll forget all about her and leave her here." 

Angel started to grin but quickly hid it behind a scowl, "Darla, that's not a very nice thing to do." He informed me sound even more like dad than dad did, if that was possible. 

I sighed exasperatedly, "I know Angel, but are you gonna help, or not? If I drug a chair all the way down the hall, she'd hear me coming, but you can do it quietly."

"Okay," Angel finally agreed, acting like he was so put-upon. Drusilla and I followed him out of the bedroom and into the room next to it, which was slightly smaller and must have served as an office judging by the desk and hard backed chair. Angel grabbed the chair and walked out again as Dru and I cast excited glances at each other trying not to laugh as Angel wedged the chair back under the linen closet door knob leaving it effectively stuck. 

Dru started to giggle and I put a hand over her mouth to quiet her before saying loudly, "Harm, where are you? I've found everyone else, but I can't find you."

"Then you didn't try very hard." Harmony replied from in the closet, as she tired to turn the doorknob and realized it was stuck. She tried again and then rattled it, "Darla, can you open the door? I think it's stuck."

I took my hand off Dru's mouth and replied, "Yeah, I could, Harm, but.I don't think I will."

"But it's stucccckkk," she whined, lunging against it, the door rattled but still stayed put. 

"Yeah, I bet the chair jammed under the knob has something to do with that." I said, almost doubling over with laughter as I walked back to the bedroom, with Dru in tow. 

I even heard Angel chuckle a bit before he headed back downstairs, and Spike came out to see the all the commotion was about. 

He eyed me suspiciously, this thumb in his mouth and asked, "What did you do?"

I pointed to the closet where Harmony was still kicking the door and whining for me to let her out and smirked. 

Spike laughed, "You're gonna be in soooooo much trouble when dad finds out." He said, popping his thumb out of his mouth and looking at me with solemn eyes. 

I shrugged and replied "So? It's worth it."

Spike grinned at me, "Trouble maker," he teased, "Blooding sodding hell trouble maker."

I stuck my tongue out and chased him down the stairs, when we rounded the corner both of us ran right into dad and the real-estate lady. Dad didn't look happy. 

"Darla.why is there so much noise upstairs. What are you kids doing?"

I tried to put on my most innocent smile before answering, "Nothing at all."

I think my lie would have worked too, if Harm hadn't come down the stairs right then. I smirked; I guess she got the door open. 

The second dad looked at her, she pointed a finger at me, "Darla locked me in the closet." She whined, "And I couldn't get out and, they were laughing at me, and I broke a nail!" she finished with a huff, examining her pearl pink nail polish. I rolled my eyes at her; she acts like such a little priss. When I turned back to dad the smile slipped from my face, he was furious, I could tell, and I knew I was in _huge_ trouble. 

TBC. Next chapter: the Aurelius's move into a house and Darla meets Buffy. Please read and review. 


	3. Chapter 3

New Beginnings 

Chapter 3

"…You not only locked your cousin in the closet, but broke the door on a house that isn't even ours, were rude to the realtor…" Dad gave me a scathing glare, "Shall I go on or just punish you now?"

I bit back a grin and replied, "Punish away, but Dad?"

He sighed, "Yes Darla?"

"Actually it was Harmony who broke the door, not me."

Angel kicked me trying to shut me up before we all got in even more trouble. We were all standing lined up in front of Dad, waiting to get punishment, everyone of course except for Harmony and Spike, Dru's here, but I know she won't really get in trouble, she never does. She just looks at dad all innocently and gets away with anything, Angel and I on the other hand…

"Darla, you and Angel are grounded for three weeks, you two can only go to school and come home, no television or phone," Dad told us, and I shrugged, it was the usual punishment. Angel scowled at Dad but didn't say anything. 

Dad ignored us and looked at Dru, "Drusilla, just because Darla tells you to do something doesn't mean you have to do it." 

Dru nodded, her brown eyes widening as she tired to make herself look as innocent as possible, "It wasn't Darla's fault," she protested and I grinned, that's my sister, "The starts told us too," Dru looked up at the ceiling as if she could see the sky though it before looking back at Dad, "Their very bossy sometimes, you know."

Dad looked at her, blinked and cleaned his glasses, obviously perplexed as what to say back to Dru's unshakable logic. No one exactly knew what her logic was, but it seemed to make sense to her. 

"Can we go unpack yet?" I asked, looking toward the direction of the stairs in our new house. Dad had picked one we'd looked at earlier in the day and decided it was good enough. We'd just moved in and gotten all the boxes form our old house today. Dad had been so busy he hadn't even had time to push us for the little Harmony project until now, almost a week after it had happened. Sometimes it's nice to have a single parent. 

Dad nodded and we started to walk off before he called after us, "Oh ands the repair for the door is about $110, I'll be garnishing all your allowances until it's paid off."

"Garnishing?" Dru whispered to me confused and I could tell she was thinking of the little parsley things that came with our dinners at nice restaurants, I shook my head, "It means he's not gonna pay us."

"This is all your fault," Angel muttered to me as we walked up the stairs.

Drusilla nodded, holding my hand and skipping up the stairs behind me, "It is" she agreed, "It really is, and Daddy's mad and looks at us with mean eyes just because we played a trick on the Harmony-monster."

I smirked at the mention of the 'Harmony-monster' as Dru had taken to calling her before frowning realizing Dru was siding with Angel. "Shut up Dru." I replied and turned to Angel "Nobody made you help me. It's your fault as much as it is mine, no; it's more because you're supposed to be the role model. You _are_ the oldest child."

"You're such a brat." Angel muttered reaching the top of the stairs and walking into his room slamming the door behind him. 

I ignored him and Drusilla, firmly yanking my hand out of hers and trudging into the room I shared with Harmony, trying not to shudder at that very thought. 

Harmony was in our room already, listening to music and filing her nails. She ignored me as I walked over to my bed across from hers and sat on it, already bored once I saw most of the boxes that held our stuff had already been unpacked. 

"Hey, Harm, wanna go see if theirs anyone else our age in the neighborhood?" I asked, hating that I was actually planning on hanging out with her, but realizing I didn't have much of another option since Angel was all kinds of huffy after we got grounded and Dru was, well…just being spacey Dru, but in a very annoying way. There was always Spike, but I really didn't feel like spending time with a hyper four year old at the moment. 

Harmony looked at me suspiciously and replied, "I'm not speaking to you."

"Uh, you just did," I told her. 

Harmony glared at me, "You know what I mean. You're just all pissy because Drusilla and Angel won't be your little minions." She looked very satisfied with herself as she said, "You, Darla Aurelius, are completely minonless." Her grin turned to confusion for a moment as she asked, "Is that a word?" before shaking her hand and replying, "Yes it is because you are!"

What? Harmony is almost a weird as Dru sometimes. "Whatever Harmony." I replied, "Are you coming or not?"

Harmony clicked off her stereo and nodded, 'Well, duh, of course I am" she followed me out of the room. 

"Okay, well, I'm technically supposed to be grounded, but I don't think Dad'll notice." I told her, looking over the stair railing for any sign of him, "I think Spike's giving him too much trouble for him to notice us." I grinned at Harmony as my point was illustrated by dad yelling from downstairs; "Spike! Stop getting into those boxes, theirs breakables-" _crash_  "Oh dear."

Just as I was about to tiptoe down the stairs, Drusilla, still standing in the hall from earlier grabbed my arm, her lower lip stuck out in a pout, "Are you cross with me, Grandmummy?"

Harmony made a face, "Grandmummy?"

I shrugged, Dru's been calling me that ever since I can remember…I don't even know what it means, but I just assume it's more Drusilla weirdness. "Don't call me that Dru and yeah, I am mad at you, you took Angel's side over mine."

Drusilla's lower lip trembled and she started to whine, looking very much like she might burst into tears. 

I sighed, "it's okay Dru, come on we're going to go see if there is anyone else our ages in the neighborhood"

Drusilla's sad face broke into a grin and she clapped excitedly as I grabbed her hand and dragged her down stairs with Harmony in tow. 

We sneaked outside, careful to avoid the kitchen where dad was cleaning up whatever Spike had broken now and I surveyed the neighborhood, frowning when I didn't see anyone else out in their yards. I hope we didn't get stuck in some old people neighborhood with nothing to do and no one to play with. 

Drusilla was already bored with us and started to wander around the yard, pulling a dandelion from grass and sticking it behind her ear while she sang to herself under her breath.

"Ooh, there's someone!" Harmony exclaimed pointing to the hose across the start as the door opened and out walked three kids. The oldest was a blonde girl who looked to be only a few years older than me; a brunette come out second holding a little girl with her thumb in her mouth holding firmly onto a light blue blanket. 

Harmony started to walk across the street and I grabbed Dru by the hand ran to catch up with my cousin who was already talking to the other kids. 

Harmony was sting to introduce herself to the other kids and I interrupted her, "Hi, I'm Darla, this is my little sister Drusilla and my cousin Harmony. Who are you?"

The blonde girl raised an eyebrow at me before answering, "Buffy; this is my twin Faith and our baby sister, Dawn."

Dawn pulled her thumb out of her mouth and wriggled in Faith's arms, protesting, "I'm not a baby."

Buffy ignored her youngest sister and asked me, "So, are you the oldest?"

"No, I have a fifteen year old brother." I replied, "Why?"

Buffy shrugged, "Just wondering."

"She certainly seems like the bossiest, B." Faith told her sister with a cocky smirk at us. 

Harmony grinned, "Oh she totally is," she gushed, "This one time she-"

I hushed Harmony by glaring at her and tugging on one of her pigtails, hard. "Nobody asked you, Harmony." I snapped and glared at Buffy and Faith.

"Darla!" I whirled around and saw Angel walking towards us, "Dad's going to find out that you snuck out."

I smiled at Faith, "That's my older brother." I told her matter-of-factly, "And when he finds out you were mean to me, he's going to kick your ass-'

Angel walked up to our group, his eyes on Buffy as his normal scowl melted into a grin, "Hey," He said trying got sound cool, "I'm Angel."

"With that look on his face, I don't think he's going to be doing any ass kicking." Harmony whispered to me, her eyes on Angel. 

I groaned, "Shut up, Harmony." I said knowing she was right…the goofy look on my brother's face when he looked at Buffy was certainly not going to be a good thing. 

TBC…please review and tell me if you like it. Next chapter: the kids start school at Sunnydale elementary. 


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I'm having sort of a hard time with this fic, I enjoy writing it, but the characters seemed a little off to me in this chapter. I might put this one on hold for a while if I keep having such a difficult time with it.

New Beginnings

Chapter 4

"Dad, we're going to be late for school," I told him, looking at the clock as he continued to lecture us on how to behave; you'd think we've never been out in public before. 

Dad smiled and hugged each of us, "I know, just…be good okay?"

Everyone nodded in agreement and I insisted, "I will!" when I received a stern glance from him.

"I don't want to go to school," Drusilla whined to me, holding my hand as we walked to the bus stop.

"I do," Harmony chirped happily and I glared at her with a nobody-asked-you look. 

"You're just jealous because I'm already popular." She remarked, walking a head of us to the bus stop. 

I ignored her and looked behind us at Angel who was trudging along looking very much like he was walking to his death. 

"What's your problem?" I asked him, noting that he'd once again gone into broody-teenage-boy mode, with his head down and his hand shoved in his pockets, a scowl present on his face. 

Angel shrugged, "I can't believe we have to take the bus," he muttered. 

I rolled my eyes and grabbed his hand, dragging him with me to the bus stop at the end of our street, "It's not the end of the world, darling boy." I replied, "After all, we've never been to public school before, only dull private ones, this might be fun."

We stood there in silence a few minutes before I saw Angel straighten up and put what could pass for a smile on his face as Buffy and Faith walked over. 

They're riding our bus, great, this'll be fun, I thought rolling my eyes. 

"Hi, Buffy." Angel said, "Taking the bus?"

"No, she just likes to stand at the bus stop because it's fun," Faith snarked with a sarcastic grin on her face. 

I couldn't help but bite back a smile too; maybe she'd be okay after all. 

Buffy ignored her sister and turned to smile at Angel and nodded making small talk until Dru interrupted them by fixing her large brown eyes on Buffy and saying, "My sister doesn't like you much."

Buffy's mouth dropped open, no doubt pondering how anyone could not like her and Harmony cut in with, "Don't worry, Darla doesn't like anybody."

"I do too!" I replied, pushing Harmony. 

"Do not!" Harmony replied, shoving me back. 

"Yes I do!"

"No you don't!"

"Did you know that dandelions scream when you pick them?" Drusilla asked, directing the question to no one in particular, but just lost in her own world again, bored with my and Harmony's argument. 

"You people are so weird." Buffy muttered under her breath as the bus came and we all filed on, me glaring daggers at Buffy and Angel as well when he sat with her. 

I walked to the back and sat in an empty set, Dru following me and sitting too. 

Harmony took a seat next to a snobby looking brown haired girl talking on a cell phone. 

My eyes swept the bus, wondering if there was anyone on here I actually wouldn't mind being friends with. I smiled as the bus stopped again and two more kids walked on; a brown haired girl with an evil smirk on her face matching my own and a cute sandy-blonde haired boy. 

They both took a set across from Dru and I and I leaned over my little sister and smiled at them, "Hi." I said catching the blonde haired boy's eye, "I'm Darla. I just moved here. Who might you be?"

"Lindsey." The boy replied with a slight southern accent, "uh, Lindsey McDonald. I'm sorta new here too, an' this is my friend Lilah."

Lilah gave me an appraising glance and then smiled with an air of superiority, before turning back and looking out the window again.

"So…is the your first day of school here?" Lindsey asked. 

I nodded, "Yes…I'm going into fifth grade."

Lindsey grinned, "Cool! I'm in fifth too." He said, "I could show you around…or something, if you want, since you're new and all."

I smiled coquettishly at him and nodded, "Okay Lindsey McDonald, I think I'd like that."

I sat back in my seat again, satisfied. Maybe this school wouldn't be so bad, Lilah seemed like she'd be okay to hang out with and Lindsey already seemed head over heels with me, it'd be fun to have him follow me around like a lap dog. I just hoped Dru would fair as well in her grade. 

TBC…next chapter, Buffy and Darla are put in the same class and hyjinks ensue. Please Review!


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